Toy ball



Oct. 20, 1925- w. H. WINKS TOY BALL Filed July 2. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m6 7% w W ATTORNEYS TOY BALL Z'ShQQtS-SMM 2 Filed July 2, 192.5

INVENTOR Walter E Wink,

WITTjSSEiQ ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 192 5.

' UNITED STATES PATENT! r 1,557,151 OFFICE.

WALTER H; wmxs, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM M. PARLEIT, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TOY BALL.

Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, WALTER H. 'WINKS,

v a citizen of the United States, residing in with the ball highly entertaining and amusaccordingly the present invention consists in the provision of a ball made up of a number of hinged sections releasably secured to each otherand adapted to fly apart when certain portions of the ball are batted or struck.

A further object resides in the provision of a device of this character which is of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and'in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a ball constructed in accordance with the present invention being batted,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the ball illustrated in Fig. 1,

Figure 3is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sections 'of the ball spread apart,

. Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a slightly modified form of ball with the sections thereof closed,

Figure 5 is a view showing the ball illustrated in Fig. 4 with the sections thereof spread apart,

Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating another form of the invention and showing the sections closed, and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the sections spread apart.

Referring to the drawings it will beseen that the ballin all embodiments of the invention comprises a pair of hemispherical. sections, designated at 1 and 2, the sections catch between its ends 1925. Serial 110. 41,151.

1 and 2 being shell-like and adapted when placed to ether to form a hollow spherical ball. A iinge 3 is provided for pivotally connecting the sections 1 and 2 to each other and adjacent the hinge the sections are beveled or cut away, as at 4, to permit the sections of the ball to fly apart as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 7. Opposite the hinge the sections of the ball are, formed with interfitting parts or shoulders, designated at 5, the shoulders 5 insuring proper alignment of the sections and preventing one section from overlapping the other when the sections areclosed. The shoulders part way around the sections.

Spring means is provided to bias the sections 1 and 2 to open position wherein they are spread apart as illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 7 and this spring meanspreferably comprises a resilient or spring member 6 having a coil 7 intermediate its ends and having the sections .1 and 2, respectively. When the sections 1 and 2 are brought together the spring member 6 is flexed and tensioned, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 6.

Releasable means is provided for holding the sections 1 and 2 closed and this means consists of a resilient catch 10 having one end secured, 'as at 11, to the section 2 and having a tooth 12 engageable with a tooth or inwardly extending projection 13 formed on the section 1. The catch 10 is released by means of a plunger 14 secured to the and projecting exteriorly of the ball through an opening 15 provided therefor in section 2.

With this arrangement when the ball is extend only batted or bounced it will act as an ordinary struck by the batv ball until the plunger 14 is or hits the surface on which the ball is bounced whereupon the sections of the ball will fly apart in a startling and entertaining manner.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the catch may be released not only by the plunger 14 but also by a plunger 16' operating through an o ning 17 in section 1 and connected to a re ease arm 18 fastened, as at 19, to the section 1 and having its other end engageable with the end portion 20 of the catch 10. The end of the release arm 18 which engages the portion 20 of the catch 10 is disposed between the portion 20 and the adjacent surits ends secured, as at 8 and 9, to 3 face of .the section '1'. The release arm 18 is made of resilient metal and is tensioned to lie snug against the inner surface of the section 1.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 additional release arms and plun are for operating the arms are provid the additional release arms bein designated at 21 and being engageable wit the catch between its tooth .12 and its point of attachment- 11. To each release arm 21 a plunger 22 is connected, the plungers 22 projecting exteriorly of the shell-like sections on which they are mounted. As in the case of the other release arms, the release arms 21 are made of resilient metal and each has one end fastened to its section and its other end engageable with the catch and disposed between the catch and the adjacent portion of the section on which it is mounted.

The ball may be bounced or batted and when batted it may be desirable to employ a bat, designated generally at 25 (see Fig. 1; and including a andle 26 and a striker 2 of leather or the like.

In conjunction with the balls an inner loose member may be employed and may take the form of a dice 30 or a smallball 31 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, respectively. The dice is used when the game is pla ed b bouncing the ball on a table or the li e and is especially desi ed for'use indoors. When the player having possession of. the ball bounces the same and succeeds in causin the sections thereof to fly a art the dice wil roll out and "he will score the number of points presented on the uppermost face of the dice.

When the game is played outdoors and the ball is bounced or batted the small ball 31 is usually employed and the object of thegame is to bounce or bat the as to cause its sections to fly apart and permilt tlie inner ball 31 to roll therefrom. c aim:

1. A ball including a pair of sections,

sections in proper tions, a sprin main ball so pact means for hinging the sections to ether, 9. sprin for causing the sections to apart a catc for holding the sections toget er, an means for releasingthe catch including a plunger projectinglexteriorly of the ball.

. 2. A ball inclu 'ng a pair of hinged sections, a sprin for causing the sections to fly apart, a catc gether, and means for releasing the catch includin a plurality of lunge'rs pro'ecting beyon the periphery o the ball an ativelX connected with the catch.

3. ball including a pair of sections, means for hinging the sections together, interfitting shoulders for maintaining the relation when closed, a catch for holding the sections together, and means for releasing the catch including a plunger operable from the exterior.

4. A ball including a pair of hinged secfor causing the sections to fly apart, a resi lent catch having one end sefor holding the sections to-v opercured to one of the sections and having a tooth,

able withthetooth on the catch, and means for releasing the catch including a'plunger operable from the exterior.

5. A ball including a pair of hinged sections, means for causin the sections to fly apart, a catch for holding the sections toether, and means for releasing the catch includm a plurality of plungers projecting beyond t e peripher of the ball and operatively connected to t e catch, certain of said plungers being connected to the catch by means of release arms. v

6. A ball "including a plurality of sections, means for hinging the .sections together, means for causing the sections to fly apart, catch means for holding the sections together, and means projecting beyond the periphery of the'ball' and operable upon imfor releasing the catch means.

WALTER H. WINKS.

a tooth on the other section engage- 

